The textile and fashion industry is facing one of its most pressing sustainability challenges: around 100 billion garments are produced worldwide every year, while a large share is discarded after only a short period of use. Returns from online retail are a particular concern, as many returned or defective textiles do not re-enter the value chain but are disposed of.
This is exactly where the winning project of the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2023 in the Student category comes in: “The dilemma of returned textiles” by Charlotte Weber and Ramona Möllers from Hochschule Niederrhein, developed in cooperation with Fynch-Hatton and supervised by Prof. Dr. Marina-Elena Wachs.
The project presents an innovative approach to transforming textile overproduction and returned goods into high-quality, sustainable materials for the automotive industry. From defective returned garments, the students developed new textile surfaces called “Re3kinned” and “ReVived”.
“ReVived” is based on a yarn provided by TURNS, made from 70 percent recycled old clothes and 30 percent collected PET bottles. “Re3kinned” was upcycled from returned defective polo shirts and woven into a new textile surface in cooperation with Prodia Aachen, a workshop for people with disabilities.
The materials were not only developed as a textile study but also transferred into concrete product and application scenarios. As part of the capsule bag collection “Bag to 1472”, the backpack “Denys” and the bag “Blixxen” were created. Old car seat belts were used for adjustable shoulder straps, while the buckles were made from recycled PET bottles.
What makes the project particularly exciting is its transfer into the automotive interior. The concept demonstrates how sustainable textile surfaces can be used in future vehicle interiors — for example on seats, backrests, headrests or carpet areas. In this way, the project combines material innovation, design, social responsibility and circular economy into a convincing vision for the future.
“The dilemma of returned textiles” stands out through its holistic approach: returns and defective textile products are not treated as waste, but as valuable resources. At the same time, the project supports key sustainability goals such as responsible consumption, climate action and partnership-based collaboration.
With this award, the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award jury recognized a student project that shows how young designers and engineers can create new impulses for sustainable materials, circular value chains and the automotive interior of tomorrow.
The Student category of the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award highlights the importance of young talent in shaping the future of materials, design and technology. Projects like “The dilemma of returned textiles” demonstrate that students are already developing highly relevant answers to some of the most urgent questions facing industry today.
At the intersection of textile design, circular economy, social inclusion and automotive innovation, the project shows how sustainable thinking can lead to practical, scalable and inspiring solutions.
The MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award explicitly invites students to submit their innovative ideas. The Student category offers young talents an excellent platform to present their projects to a high-level expert jury and an international professional audience from design, material development, technology and mobility.
The benefits are particularly attractive: students pay only a 30 euro application fee instead of the regular 490 euro fee. In addition, the winner of the Student category receives an endowed prize of 1,000 euros.
If you have a new idea at the interface of materials, design, technology and sustainability, this is your chance to gain visibility and recognition.
Apply now for the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award:
https://www.emove360.com/awards/materialica-award/
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